


########

by mercurious



Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: Begging, M/M, Power Play
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-08
Updated: 2020-05-08
Packaged: 2021-03-03 03:00:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 595
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24077890
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mercurious/pseuds/mercurious
Summary: “Oh, Jon. It must be very frustrating.”
Relationships: Elias Bouchard/Jonathan Sims
Comments: 6
Kudos: 65





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[tape clicks on]

He is waiting for you at the center. He has been waiting for you -- he wants you to know this -- for so much longer than you think, so much longer than your young mind can imagine. He is calling you. Or maybe he has simply made you into a thing which must go to him, which cannot move in any other direction.

In any case, you are summoned. You are compelled. It is far, _far_ too late to turn back now.

[static]

MAGNUS

Come in, Jon. Have a seat.

[silence; a chair being moved]

MAGNUS

Tell me, how was your holiday?

THE ARCHIVIST

[hoarse] I wouldn’t call it that.

MAGNUS

No? You haven’t enjoyed yourself?

THE ARCHIVIST

That’s beside the point. I haven’t stopped working.

[Magnus chuckles]

MAGNUS

Oh, Jon.

MAGNUS

It must be _very_ frustrating.

THE ARCHIVIST

[sighs] What must?

MAGNUS

I’m sure you’ve realized by now that there are still limits to your power. Blank spots, particularly from before. It’s not your fault, Jon. You’re new to this. You’ve been watching for such a short time, whereas I ... well. There’s a great deal I could tell you, isn’t there? A great deal of fear to which I am the sole living witness.

THE ARCHIVIST

[strained] Yes, I _know_ \--

MAGNUS

Yes, you know. All those horrors, all those stories. And yet, I’m the only creature on earth from whom you can’t simply _take them_. That must be maddening for you, poor thing.

THE ARCHIVIST

... You wanted to see me. Why?

MAGNUS

Call it sentimentality. You’ve been very ... useful to me.

[a pause]

THE ARCHIVIST

I want --

MAGNUS

I’m sorry, Jon, but I must insist that you not lie to me. You don’t _want_ anything from me.

[longer pause]

THE ARCHIVIST

I need you to give a statement.

MAGNUS

[instantly] Beg.

THE ARCHIVIST

What? I --

MAGNUS

You need my statement, just as you said. You’re quite desperate. So, beg.

[silence]

THE ARCHIVIST

Right ... well. I can see you’re getting some sort of perverse gratification out of --

MAGNUS

Quite. But are you _really_ so different?

THE ARCHIVIST

I don’t ...

MAGNUS

Taking a statement gives you a thrill, doesn’t it? A rush? Think about it: your hair standing on end at some particularly nasty detail. That shiver up your spine, that vicarious little surge of terror. Don’t you miss it, Jon? Doesn’t it _feel good_?

THE ARCHIVIST

I ...

[silence]

THE ARCHIVIST

[muttered, hard to make out] Please.

MAGNUS

I’m sorry, Jon, I didn’t catch that.

THE ARCHIVIST

For God’s sake. Please. I -- You’re right. I need this.

[silence]

THE ARCHIVIST

God _damn_ it, Elias, I have to ... I just have to know. It feels -- it’s not like an itch, or a chill, exactly. It’s not even pain. But you know that already, of course ...

THE ARCHIVIST

I do ... I want to be afraid. [shuddering breath] I can’t stand it. I’ve never needed anything like this.

THE ARCHIVIST

I -- Please, Elias. Please, _please_. God, I’m begging you -- please -- just -- [stifled sob]-- _please_ \--

MAGNUS

Alright then.

THE ARCHIVIST

I ... Sorry?

MAGNUS

That’s enough, Jon. Here -- [fabric rustles] -- why don’t you clean yourself up?

[uneven breathing; The Archivist sniffs]

MAGNUS

That's better. Now then. What would you like to hear?

THE ARCHIVIST

Something ... [deep breath] I want you to fill in a blank. An incident with no survivors. Something old. I want a statement you, and _only_ you, can give me.

MAGNUS

_Excellent._ It’s moments like these, Jon, that make me so very glad I chose you for the position.

MAGNUS

Very well then ...

MAGNUS

Statement begins.

**Author's Note:**

> https://www.reddit.com/r/HannibalTV/comments/3e4eje/talk_like_hannibal/


End file.
